The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has objected to Flamingo Land’s £40m plans for a tourism resort beside Loch Lomond.
And MSP’s have welcomed the latest development in the saga of the controversial plans, with one saying it was ‘game-changing’ – although developers have attacked the comments as an attempt to ‘derail the democratic process’.
The revised plans for the Lomond Banks development – which include hotels, a monorail and up to 127 self-catering lodges – will be decided by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority.
And the NTS has written to the authority’s planners saying it is concerned there will be ‘direct loss and significant damage’ to ancient woodland.
The letter warns that the scale of the development could affect the very values visitors look for in the national park, adding: “The attraction of the extra jobs and enhanced tourism offering this would bring to the Balloch area is understandable, however it seems at such a scale it would draw business away from the existing tourism businesses and compete with them for a limited supporting labour market.”
West of Scotland regional MSP Ross Greer said it was ‘time for Flamingo Land to give up’, after the objection from the country’s largest membership organisation.
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He added: “I’d like to thank the National Trust for their powerful objection, which makes a very strong case for Flamingo Land’s plans to be rejected.
“It joins a long list of other respected voices including the Woodland Trust, Ramblers Scotland, over 32,000 members of the public who have objected via our online portal, and the vast majority of respondents to two recent surveys of local residents. Even the national park’s own estates department has expressed severe concerns about aspects of the plans.”
And Dumbarton constituency MSP Jackie Baillie welcomed the NTS demand that the views of those directly impacted by the proposed Flamingo Land development in Balloch are properly addressed.
The NTS objections follows a local survey which the Labour MSP carried out earlier this year, lettering over 3,000 households in the Balloch, Haldane, Tullichewan, Levenvale and Jamestown areas.
Two-thirds of respondents said they were opposed to plans and even those who backed the development said they were concerned about the impact on local roads.
Ms Baillie said: “I want to thank NTS for such a detailed and thorough response to the consultation. Local people are at the heart of this decision and I am pleased that they have also stressed this within their response.
“I have already impressed upon the developers the need to engage fully with the community if they are to address the concerns which matter most to local people.
“The impact on the road network and the impact on local businesses are both issues of concern.
“There are clearly still valid worries which remain unresolved and I hope that Lomond Banks take seriously the issues raised within the NTS response.”
Jim Paterson, development director for Lomond Banks, said: “Sadly, Ross Greer, has a rather skewed view of our current planning application and this is another effort from him to derail a democratic process.
“We welcome the opinions from all different individuals, groups and organisations and we have been very encouraged that no formal objection has been returned by any of the statutory consultees to date.
“Whilst the National Trust is neither a statutory or non-statutory consultee, we are of course, disappointed by their position.
“We are pleased, however, to hear their views on our plans to reinvigorate Woodbank House, and we would welcome further opportunity to engage with them to clarify and discuss our position in some of their areas of concern.
“We remain committed to our plans for Lomond Banks, and have spent a great deal of time looking at how we support the local business community and protect the very things that make the area special, such as the ancient woodland of Drumkinnon Wood which has been completely removed from the development area.”
There have so far been 321 objections to the site and 30 comments in favour, while a petition organised by Mr Greer has over 30,000 signatures.
Full details of the plans are available on the national park authority website – the reference number is 2022/0157/PPP.
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